


Gutted

by Arukou



Series: Tumblr Archive [40]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 18:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7542925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arukou/pseuds/Arukou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony was perfectly happy enjoying his ruined tower in peace, but Fury just had to barge in with Captain America in tow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gutted

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://arukou-arukou.tumblr.com/post/128157998206/gutted).
> 
> Written for Stony Bingo prompt "Canon: MCU Phase 1."

The Tower was still half in tatters, the upper floors tarped over, the scent of dust still strong in the air, and Tony was feeling desperately, utterly alone. Pep was…well, she was somewhere decidedly not New York. Somewhere where aliens were not likely to come crawling through a portal in space to rain mayhem on the general public. Tony kind of wished he were with her. But then, Pep also wanted to be somewhere Tony was not for some ‘quality me time,’ so…

“Sir, you have a call from Director Fury.”

“Tell him to go shill his song and pirate dance somewhere else. Casa de Stark is currently closed for renovations.”

“I’m afraid I’m being overridden, sir.”

“I thought we fixed that. You are supposed to be very not-overridable, JARVIS, work with me here.”

“Stark.”

“Cyclops.”

“He’s in upstate New York, Stark. You’re stuck with me.”

“What’s up, Schnookums? Lose another potential alien weapon of mass destruction? Poked the leviathan to see if he wanted to play? Fuck off, Fury, I have better things to do.”

“Captain Rogers needs a place to stay.”

“Four Seasons is nice, I here.”

“Somewhere with impeccable security.”

“Did you miss the part where space aliens ripped holes in my building? How about the part where the Jolly Green Giant made a Loki-shaped crater in my living room? By the way, that footage is copyright Stark Industries and you can’t have it. I’m going to make millions on some twitch game where people beat the shit out of Loki for catharsis.”

“He’s staying with you, Stark, so get used to the idea.”

“He can’t stay if he doesn’t have the…”

The doors slid open and Red, White and Blue was standing there, straight-backed and with a slightly constipated expression on his face.

“…security codes,” Tony finished weakly, pulling his knees closer to his chest as though that might make him less visible.

“Keep him in one piece, Stark.”

“Stark?” Rogers said, hesitantly taking a step in, wincing as glass crunched beneath his boot. He looked strangely young without the “superior stick up my ass” air he’d had on the Helicarrier, his hair flopping in his face and his mouth soft with hesitation.

Sighing, Tony stood and brushed the debris from his backside. “Hey, Capslock. I hear you need some fancy digs.”

“No, I…I just…Fury said…”

“Oh, so you’re following Fury’s orders now?”

“No,” Rogers said sharply, and even from across the room, Tony could see how his knuckles whitened as he clenched the strap on his bag.

“Good,” Tony said before Rogers could continue on with what was likely a promising rant. “Glad you learned your lesson. Welcome to the club of ‘one-eyed men are inherently untrustworthy.’”

“That seems a little…”

“Bedroom. Let’s find you one. Trust me, you don’t want to sleep up here. Unless you like the idea of waking up to a peregrine falcon screeching in your face.”

“Peregrine falcon?”

“Cliff-dwelling birds. They’ve adopted skyscrapers, including this one. They’re not very friendly.”

Rogers looked a little confounded, but he followed Tony readily enough. “I’m sorry to be imposing like this. I can just…”

“What? Stay at a motel? Do you even have a credit card?”

“I have money,” Rogers said, not quite looking at Tony, gaze sharp on his reflection in the elevator. The way he said it made Tony think it must not be very much. Very suddenly, Tony was tired, and he felt the way his shoulders slumped, the way his neck gave, as though his strings had been cut.

“Look,” he said, staring down at the dusty tips of his Converse, “I’m tired. You’re probably tired, too. And I’m especially tired of fighting. I just had a hell of a time with…Anyway, I don’t want to fight with you. So can we start over? Without all of the Magical Scepter of Sedition bullshit?

He turned and met Rogers’ eyes for the first time that night, and try as he might to put up at least a token shell, something to hide away how very bone-deep exhausted he was, he couldn’t quite muster it.

For a long moment, Rogers said nothing, but his mouth was open, soft and slack with confusion. Finally, he said, “Sure. Sure, we can do that. I am sorry, though. For the…”

“Ah. Can’t be sorry for something that never happened.”

“But—“

“Nope. Hi. I’m Tony Stark. I’d offer you a little more hospitality, but I’m about five minutes away from dropping dead in my bed and sleeping for a week.”

Rogers studied his hand for a moment and then clasped it, his palm warm and rough, just as strong as it’d been a few weeks ago when they’d sent Loki off to Asgardian timeout. “Hi. I’m Steve Rogers. Just Steve. Thanks for letting me stay here.”

“No problem, Just Steve.” They stepped out of the elevator and Tony gave a grand sweep of his arms. “This, until very recently was occupied, so it should have everything you need. Food. Water. TV. The clothing might be a bit of a tight fit, although I think you and Pep are probably the same cup size. No,” he said, sharply shaking his head. “Sorry. I’m word vomiting. I’m gonna go sleep. In there. You,” he gestured around him, trying desperately to clear the image of Captain America in Pepper’s lingerie from his head, “you sleep wherever you’re most comfortable. There’s about four beds on this floor, so have at.”

Tony scuttled down the hall as fast as his wobbling legs would carry him, and slid into the first bedroom he came upon. At least it wasn’t Pep’s old master suite. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, swiping a hand over his face. “Way to come on strong Tony. Proposition the guy, why don’t you.” He shook his head again, but he could still kind of see it, sleek black silk and polka dots. That got him thinking about Pepper though, and he felt a little stab in his heart, the knife twisting just a bit deeper. She’d be back though. She’d definitely be back.

“JARVIS, what’s Captain Capitalism doing?”

“Captain Rogers is opening various doors in the hallway and checking the rooms. I believe he is searching for an adequate bedroom.”

“Help him with that, will ya?”

“Of course, sir.”

Shaking his head again, Tony stripped off his clothes and headed to bed. Tomorrow was another day. A day in which he would not be picturing Steve Rogers in silk lingerie. No sirree.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://arukou-arukou.tumblr.com/) for more fanfiction and nerdery.


End file.
